In 2021, the Movement to End Youth Homelessness in Southern Nevada successfully advocated to break down barriers to empower unaccompanied minors to access critical healthcare services. AB 197 created new rules allowing unaccompanied youth under age 18 to access physical, behavioral, dental, and mental healthcare without parental consent. The law removed a dangerous waiting period that prevented youth from receiving needed care, clarified the types of healthcare services young people can access on their own, and helped healthcare providers implement the law correctly by establishing a simple process to verify that a youth is an unaccompanied minor experiencing homelessness. This law is a simple and smart step to keep youth safe and healthy. 

For information on how healthcare providers can utilize this law to serve unaccompanied minors, please review this flowchart below: